Dexamethasone and estradiol treatment in pregnant rhesus macaques: Effects on gestational length, maternal plasma hormones, and fetal growth

摘要: To determine the effects of suppressing fetal and maternal adrenal activity on parturition, we treated pregnant rhesus macaques with dexamethasone (0.25 to 4.0 mg, twice a day) from gestation day 130 until delivery (term = 167 days). Long-term treatment increased length: 71% fetuses were born postmaturely (after 175 gestation; X2 52.6; P less than 0.001). The decreased basal levels estradiol cortisol, but not progesterone, abolished prepartum estrogen prolactin surges; doses greater 0.16 mg/kg per resulted in death premature delivery. That vaginal was induced by benzoate monkeys prolonged pregnancy dead fetuses, those live suggests active inhibition prostaglandin synthesis. retarded growth (410 +/- 16 gm versus 501 5 for controls; 0.001) thymus, spleen, weights (P 0.01). A significant decrease brain weight noted 0.1), as decreases biparietal diameter, occipitofrontal head circumference 0.05). These results indicate that corticosteroids do induce labor primates. On contrary, long-term administration is associated suppression biosynthesis.